How to protect?
Last updated
Last updated
“The current trend in new materials in design is booming. It is no longer enough to create functional, beautiful or high-tech stuff. We need to shake off our plastic addiction and look differently at the kind of production materials we use as designers. In most material archives, an open-source ethic is lacking, material innovations are often patented and only sold within business-2-business. Our natural recourses are part of the commons, we should have material knowledge to match it.”
I want to continue finding a more sustainable solution to packing peanuts. Packing peanuts are mainly made from plastics and are very rarely made from different materials. They are made from styrofoam and the peanuts are not recyclable. I want to see if I can make packing peanuts from bioplastics.
Packing peanuts are a loose-fill packaging and cushioning object used during transportation. Packing peanuts get their name from the resemblance in shape and size of a peanut. The packing peanuts protect products against breakage. They can be reused many times with little to no loss in protection for the products shipped. Packing peanuts are favorable because of their very light weight.They were made in the 60's and used frequently during the first few decades, but the use of packing peanuts declined since the 90's because of their enviromental impact.
Today they are mostly used for heavy or very fragile products, when substitutes will not guarantee the same amount of protection.
Packing peanuts are originally made from polystyrene resin. When they were first developed it was made from 100% virgin polystyrene, since the mid-90's recycled polystyrene packing peanuts have also been available. In later years there have also been cornstarch based packing peanuts. These packing peanuts have the same look and feel as polystyrene resin packing peanuts but are more expensive because of the higher weight and manufacturing costs.
There are three color variations of packing peanuts: white, green and pink. The colors of the packing peanuts indicate what material they are made from. White packing peanuts are made from 100% virgin polystyrene resin, green packing peanuts are made from 70% or more recycled polystyrene resin and pink packing peanuts indicates a antistatic agent has been used in the peanuts (An antistatic agent is a compound used for treatment of materials or their surfaces in order to reduce or eliminate buildup of static electricity).
I want to make a more sustainable solution to packing peanuts. The peanuts will be more sustainable by using renewable and recyclable materials.
The packing peanuts will protect any object against breakage.
The packing peanuts will be made from renewable materials in bioplastic.
The packing peanuts will not grow mold.
The packing peanuts will be reusable.
The packing peanuts will be as close to normal packing peanuts weight as possible (usually around 30 grams per litre)
The packing peanuts will be flexible.
The packing peanuts will be water resistant.
The peanuts will be heat resistant for heat under 45 degrees.
